1289. Who Can Pray?

Who Can Pray?

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Heb_11:6).

Our key verse gives some very definite information as to who can acceptably approach God in prayer. What does it say? "He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

We are often asked if the unbeliever can pray. Certainly not. He may go through a form of prayer, but he cannot get a hearing with God. A poor lost sinner may pray "God be merciful to me a sinner," but as he prays that prayer he must sense his own sin, and possess a God-given faith in Christ. He is heard and saved only as he believes in saving grace.

A sinner, therefore, can truly pray, only as he comes with his sins to the Cross and seeks salvation, believing that God both is, and is the rewarder of his search.

For our part we think it quite out of place to even use the commonly-called Lord's prayer in any public assembly where the unsaved are asked to join in and to say "Our Father."

Let the unsaved know that there is no approach to God save through Jesus Christ, and that they who have rejected the Son have not the Father and cannot enjoy access to the Father in prayer.

Who then can pray?

1. The righteous (see Pro_15:29).

2. The believing (see Mat_21:22; Heb_11:6).

3. The lowly (see Psa_138:6).

4. Sons (see Rom_8:14-15).

5. The quickened, raised and seated, Jew or Gentile (see Eph_2:1-19, particularly Eph_2:18).

6. The people of God (see Heb_4:9, Heb_4:16).

7. The fully assured (see Heb_10:22).

Who cannot pray?

1. The vain (see Job_35:12-13).

2. The proud (see Jam_4:6).

3. The unclean (see Isa_1:15).

4. The sinful (see Isa_59:1-2).

5. The one who regards iniquity (see Psa_66:18).

6. The one who doubts (see Jam_1:6-7).

Certainly the two sets of Scriptures above, if studied, will give much light on who has access to the Father in prayer. It will be discovered that even Christians will find no real joy and power in prayer unless they are walking in a close relationship to God.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR